Damn the Man, Save the Empire

Liv Tyler wasn't always an elf. Robin Tunney wasn't always a witch. Renee Zellweger wasn't always Bridget Jones. Once, they worked at a record store together in that hazy fun that was the 90's.

I came of age during the 90's. I remember when my parents would leave my sister and I home alone we would listen to their records, lying on the floor on our tummies for hours, singing along until we heard the garage door open and we would put everything away quickly so our parents wouldn't get the wrong idea that they could ever possibly own anything that would be considered cool to us.

There aren't as many record stores now. Or music stores for the matter. We can bemoan what was or accept that things have changed. It's a different world now for retailers. But just because we shop more in our pajamas at home sipping on St. Germain (just me? Okay.) doesn't mean that we shouldn't still support our independent business owners during the holidaze.

It's easy to give into the seductive lure of Super Saver Shipping and say that you don't know where to start when shopping independently for difficult lovers, friends and family. Etsy can be large and overwhelming.

Here are some suggested shops for you to check out in your Cyber Monday travels:

CD Baby: CDs and Downloads from Independent Musical Artists. I recommend Kwannon, she has a gorgeous mellow sound.

Bust Boobtique: Ironic cross stitch, jewelry and other goods for the hipster in your life.